Lennie’s secret to staying active

I remain as active as possible. I know it’s good for me. In fact, I learned it as a kid. Exercise is one of the basics, and what you do early on sets you up for life.  Today, I may walk slower, but I keep pushing forward. Because of some pain I have in my knees from arthritis, I do have to make adjustments, but I still do all the things I’ve always enjoyed doing and I still have fun!

Dianne and I travel a lot. We go to Florida to visit our family. I love watching my grandkids play sports and I give them pointers when I can. We also get to all the UNC men’s basketball home games, and we travel to some of the local conference games. We love it when the ACC tournament is in Greensboro! Last year, we were able to make it to Las Vegas to watch UNC play in a tournament.

In addition to attending the games, I also enjoy having the chance to mentor young athletes. Not too long ago, a mother asked me to meet her son at the court to help him with his shot. I noticed right away what the problem was and I told him, “You gotta keep your elbow lined up with the basket.” These are things kids will listen to coming from me but maybe not from their own coach or parent. Just the other day, some neighborhood kids were playing basketball out in the street and I went out there and gave them some tips, and they were thrilled and so was I. It’s fun to see young kids enjoying in the game.

When I’m not traveling or involved in basketball, I rely on my buddy Luke (the family dog) to keep me active. I have to get up every so often and let him out or take him for a walk. And he doesn’t let me forget about him. He will nudge me or whine until I get off the couch to take him for some exercise; it’s a win-win: he gets what he wants, and I get my steps in, too.

My advice? Keep doing the things you have always enjoyed, even if it’s at a slower pace.

Lennie Rosenbluth

Honorary Co-Chair, Osteoarthritis Action Alliance